When Olympic Dreams Hit the Road (and the Delivery App)
Picture this: Ryo Miyake, the silver‑medal fencer from London 2012, is swapping his polished foil for a bicycle‑packed Uber Eats van, all while the 2020 Olympics are stuck in a pandemic‑induced time‑warp.
In March, the International Olympic Committee and the Japanese government made the bold call to delay the Games to 2021 due to COVID‑19—the first time such a move ever happened. The result? Village‑sized competitions went on an indefinite hiatus, sponsors got stuck in limbo, and Miyake had to pivot fast.
Choosing Integrity Over Money
- He politely declined sponsor money. “I can’t accept kicks in a situation that’s still a question mark,” Miyake told Reuters, baffled as to whether he’d actually compete.
- Instead, he informed sponsors, “Hold it for now. I’m good.” An ethical move that keeps his reputation untarnished.
- No luxury gym, no fancy training camps—just a deserted Tokyo and a 3‑month wait for the Games.
Delivering, Scoring, and Staying Fit
Why Uber Eats? Because it combines flexibility, sweat, and a slice of sanity in compact doses.
- Dly 2,000 ¥ (≈ S$26) from deliveries.
- He can thin out the gaps between training—no more fancy Wodhouses or overpriced trainers.
- Every pedal kick keeps his body in poise, keeps his edge sharper, and—let’s face it—helps him survive the pause on sponsorship income.
How the Fencer Is Filling His Wallet
“I’m digging into savings – so I gotta earn on my own,” he confesses. After two weeks on the bike, he’s also brainstorming extra gigs to keep his training unlocked.
- “Stretch, sprint, and dash to earn. That’s the new olympian routine.”
- He’s hopeful that this combo of deliveries and training will transform him into a “dual‑pursuit” athlete—savvy in both food delivery and Olympic fencing.
In a pinch, who would’ve imagined “suiting up” for the 2021 Games with a bike‑pad and an Uber Eats-centric lifestyle? Miyake’s story serves up a hefty lesson: resilience, adaptability, and a dash of cheeky humor can keep you afloat when the world turns upside‑down.
With demand for food delivery on the rise due to the coronavirus pandemic, there is no shortage of delivery work on offer – there is also minimal contact with other people thanks to Uber Eats’ policy of leaving food outside people’s doors.
“The risk of getting infected with the coronavirus is low,” said Miyake.
“Although you might think you have a lot of contact with people because you deliver goods, as recommended by the application I put the food in front of people’s doors and there is no contact.”
“The only time I have contact is when I pick up food from the restaurant’s staff.”
Miyake, who was in the process of qualifying for the Olympics when the Games were postponed, doesn’t know when he will next be able to pick up a rapier and train with sparring partners.
“Fencing is a sport that doesn’t fit with the current situation because we can’t practise without having people gathered together,” he said.
“This is really regrettable.”
“I want to restart with a situation where everyone can train freely and without any concern.”
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